Tube dispenser



April 1956 R. MORRISON 2,742,189

TUBE DISPENSER Filed Nov. so, 1955 II I II II II II lllll lllll h u n n u nll'li INVENT OR lafi llbrrz's on T 5 BY ATTORNEYS brush.

Another object of this invention is to provide in a toothpaste dispenser, a spring-pressed valve for normally closing the discharge end of'the tube and permitting initial pressure being built up in the'tube so that upon opening of the valve a quantity of material will be extruded from the tube. V

A further object of this invention is to provide a support for the toothbrush so that movement of the valve to open position will assure discharge of toothpaste onto the toothbrush.

With the above and other objects in View, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and details of construction disclosed in the drawing and specification and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing: Figure l is a detail front elevation partly broken away I and in section of a collapsible tube dispensing means constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

vFigure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the 7 line 4-4 of Figure 1.

. Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10 designates 7 generally a housing which is'formed with a vertical rear wall 11 and opposite side walls 12 and 13 with an upper end wall 14. The side walls 12 and 13 are formed 7 with a pair of elongated slots 15 and 16 respectively,

within which a winding shaft 17 loosely engages.

The winding shaft 17 is formed with a flattened intermediate portion 18 having a slot 19 within which the flattened end of a collapsible tube is adapted to be engaged. The shaft 17 has fixed thereon a pair of gears 20 and 21 which mesh with a pair of gear racks 22 and 23 which are fixed in the housing 10 confronting the inner sides 'of the side walls 12 and 13.

The fiat end of the tube T is wound on the shaft 17 as I the latter is turned thereon, and the shaft 17 has fixed thereon a knob 24. The tube T extends lengthwise of the housing 10 and the lower end or neck 25 of the tube V T is clamped between the arms 26 of a fork 27. The

fork 27 is formed with a stem 28 slidable through an opening 29 formed in the side wall 13, and a knob 30 is secured to the outer end of the stem 28.

A spring 31 is connected between the outer end of stem 28 and the side wall 13 and constantly urges the fork 27 inwardly. The neck 25 of the tube T is adapted to be closed by means of a horizontally slidable valve plate.32 which is carried by a guide 33. The guide 33 v is carried by the top wall 34 of an off-set housing 35 which is fixed to and projects downwardly from housing The top wall 34 of housing 35 is formed with an elongated openings 36 throughwhich a lug 37 extends, and lug 37 is fixed to the valve plate 32. A spring 38 is connected between the lug 37 and the side wall 12 of housing 10 and constantly urges valve plate 32 to closed position. Housing 35 is formed with a vertical 7 United States Paten 0 housing 35 also includes an inner wall 44 having an opening 45 within which a toothbrush 46 is adapted to loosely engage.

The brush 46, when engaged in opening 45, is disposed directly beneath the neck 25 of tube T so that the toothpaste, which is extruded from tube T, will drop downwardly on to the upstanding bristles 47 of brush 46.

Housing 10 is formed with pairs of outwardly projecting.

apertured lugs 48 through which securing means is adapted to pass for attaching the housing 10 to a wall or other vertical support. 7

The inner ends of the fork 26 are adapted to engage against the inclined cam surface 50 of a plate 51 fixed to wall 12 so as to hold the end of neck 25 against valve plate 32. Shaft 41 has a knob 52 mounted thereon and a lever or pin 53 projects radially from knob 52 so that in the event the users hands are Wetthe knob 52 may be easily turned.

In the use and operation of this device, the tube T has the flat end thereof extended through slot 19 of the flat intermediate portion 18 of shaft 17. The neck 25 is clamped between the arms 2 of fork 27 in a position whereby valve plate 32 will bear against the lower open end of neck 25 so as to close the neck.

When it is desired to discharge toothpaste from tube T, shaft 17 may be rotated by knob 24 so as to wind tube T on shaft 17. A slight turning of shaft 17 will place the material in tube T under pressure and the material may be released from tube T by first extending the brush 46 into opening or support 45 and then turning shaft 41 so as 'to move valve member 32 outwardly to open position. When cam member 43 is turned to theright past cam 42, spring 38 will snap valve plate 32 back to closing position.

What is claimed is:

A toothpaste dispenser for dispensing paste from a collapsible tube, comprising a housing having vertical side walls, a top wall and a rear wall, each side wall having a longitudinal slot therein, a tube supporting fork slidable through one side wall and engageable with the neck of the tube,' a transversely disposed shaft extending through said slots and formed with an intermediate slot for receiving the flat end of the tube, a toothed rack fixed to the inner side of each side wall, a pair of gears fixed to said shaft meshing with said racks, a knob on one end of said shaft, a valve member at the lower end of said housing, means slidably supporting said valve member for horizontal movement, a spring constantly urging said valve member to closed position, a cam lug carried by said valve member, a valve operating shaft, and a lug carried by. said latter shaft engageablewith said cam lug for moving said valve member to open position.

References Cited in the file of vthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,299,758 Mullaly Apr. 8, 1919 1,876,452 Gusdorf Sept. 6, 1932 2,463,764 'Grantonic Mar. 8, 1949 2,533,839 Robinson Dec. 12, 1950 2,605,932 Locke Aug. 5, 1952 2,622,768 Hatcher Dec. 23, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 30,

Patented Apr. 17, 1956 

